USMNT REWIND: Sargent’s Brace, Pulisic’s Spark, and Goals Scored Across Europe and Mexico

It seems that everything that Josh Sargent touches these days turns to goal for Norwich City.

Elsewhere, Brenden Aaronson broke a personal, long scoreless streak, while connecting game-winner for Union Berlin, Christian Pulisic was a second-half spark plug off the bench for A.C. Milan, and Alejandro Zendejas and Brandon Vazquez also scored goals to help their Liga MX teams wrap up Concacaf Champions Cup series wins.

Malik Tillman and Antonee Robinson also helped set up goals for their teams.

HE'S HOT, HOT, HOT

Josh Sargent continued to fill the net at a torrid pace, capping a memorable five days in the English Championship.

On Tuesday, Feb. 13, Sargent atoned for his penalty kick being saved by pouncing on the rebound and firing it past goalkeeper Benjamin Hamer in the 28th minute in a 2-2 home draw with Watford.

On Saturday, Feb. 17, he connected on either side of halftime to help Norwich City to a 4-1 win over Cardiff City as he reached double digits in goals. After the visitors grabbed a 19th-minute lead, the U.S. men’s national team striker scored for the fourth consecutive game, equalizing in the 39th minute. The Canaries added to their lead in the 44th minute before Sargent gave the hosts breathing room, slipping home a left-wing cross past USMNT goalkeeper Ethan Horvath for a 3-1 margin.

After returning from an ankle injury he suffered in August, Sargent has been on fire, recording six goals in eight appearances since Jan. 1. In 13 games over 798 minutes, he has tallied 10 times. To appreciate his remarkable production this season, Sargent scored 13 goals in 40 league games during the 2022-23 season. He has been a major factor in helping seventh-place Norwich City (15-12-6, 51 points) in its promotion bid to the English Premier League. The Canaries, who are just below the playoff line, are tied with Coventry City in points, but their foes have a better goal differential (14 to eight).

SNAPPING THE DROUGHT

Brenden Aaronson celebrated his first goal in almost one-and-a-half years, scoring the game-winner in the 84th minute to boost Union Berlin to a 1-0 win at Hoffenheim in Bundesliga action on Saturday, Feb. 17.

The 23-year-old midfielder made a nice run off the ball during a counterattack in the 84th minute. Yorbe Vertessen brought the ball to the corner and crossed to Aaronson, who buried the ball in the bottom corner. It was Aaronson's first goal for Union Berlin and his first in club competition since Leeds United's 3-0 win over Chelsea on Aug. 21, 2022. Union Berlin (7-12-3, 24) is in 12th place in the league, eight points out of the relegation zone.

SECOND-HALF SPARK PLUG

Christian Pulisic provided a major boost off the bench for 10-man A.C. Milan, but it wasn't enough as the team dropped a 4-2 decision at Monza on Sunday, Feb. 18. The hosts grabbed a two-goal halftime lead and were aided by an ill-advised red card by Luka Jovic in the 52nd minute.

Pulisic, who replaced Samuel Chukwueze at the half, started Milan's comeback in the 64th minute as he headed a flick-on assist to Olivier Giroud, who slipped the ball past goalkeeper Alessandro Sorrentino. The assist ended a five-game streak in which Pulisic had failed to record a point. He scored his sixth Serie A goal of the season, drilling home a shot from the right side of the penalty area to equalize at 2-2, off a Malick Thiaw feed, in the 88th minute. However, Milan could not hold onto the tie and the point as Monza tallied twice, in the 90th minute and five minutes into stoppage time.

The loss left Milan (16-5-4, 52) in third place, 11 points behind archrival and first-place Inter Milan (20-1-3, 63).

PROVIDING SOME INSURANCE

Alejandro Zendejas and Brandon Vazquez played their parts in helping their Liga MX teams close out first-round, second-leg victories in the Concacaf Champions Cup.

In chronological order:

On Wednesday, Feb. 14, Zendejas scored Club America's second goal in the 54th minute in its 2-0 win over Real Esteli on Wednesday. Zendejas slipped in Brian Rodriguez's deflected left-wing cross from six yards at the near post past keeper Douglas Forvis. America won the series, 3-2. Real Esteli registered a 2-1 first-leg victory in Nicaragua on Feb. 6.

On Thursday, Feb. 15, Vazquez found the net for Monterrey as a substitute against Comunicaciones, after replacing Arturo Gonzalez in the 66th minute. Thirteen minutes later, Uruguayan Rodrigo Aguirre sent a pass to Vazquez, who rolled the ball into the net from eight yards past goalie Fredy Perez for the final goal of a 3-0 home triumph. Monterrey had captured the first leg, 4-1, on Feb. 6, en route to a 7-1 series win.

America will meet Guadalajara in the Round of 16 on March 6 and 13. Monterrey will face an opponent to be determined on March 7 and 14.

LAST PASS

Midfielder Malik Tillman assisted Olivier Boscagli’s 56th-minute score in PSV's 2-0 home win over Heracles in the Dutch Eredivisie on Friday, Feb. 16.

While it was not nearly as spectacular as his assist against Burnley on Feb. 3, left back Antonee Robinson assisted on Rodrigo Muniz's goal in the 63rd minute in Fulham's 2-1 home loss to Aston Villa in the English Premier League on Saturday, Feb. 17.

SO FAR SO GOOD

Defender Erik Palmer-Brown is still sidelined with an injury, but his team, Panathinaikos, continues to fare well in the Greek Cup. Panathinaikos defeated host PAOK in the semifinals on Wednesday, Feb. 14. The second leg at Panathinaikos is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 21.

ECSTASY, THEN AGONY

After hammering a hat-trick against Volendam and bagging a brace vs. Fortuna Sittard in his two recent matches, Taylor Booth's amazing streak was ended when he suffered an injury in Utrecht's 1-0 win at Twente in the Dutch Eredivisie on Sunday, Feb. 18. The 22-year-old midfielder was helped off the field after incurring an apparent lower body injury.

FULL RUNDOWN

• Brenden Aaronson (Union Berlin; Bundesliga) - 24 minutes as a substitute, GOAL, in 1-0 win at Hoffenheim (Feb. 17)
• Paxten Aaronson (Vitesse; Dutch Eredivisie) - 90 minutes in 1-1 draw vs. Volendam (Feb. 18)
• Tyler Adams (AFC Bournemouth; English Premier League) - Injured, DNP in 2-2 draw at Newcastle United (Feb. 17)
• Folarin Balogun (Monaco; French Ligue 1) - 71 minutes in 2-1 loss vs. Toulouse (Feb. 18)
• Taylor Booth (Utrecht; Dutch Eredivisie) - 22 minutes in 1-0 win at Twente (Feb. 18)
• Gianluca Busio (Venezia; Italian Serie B) – 89 minutes in 2-2 draw vs. Modenia (Feb. 18)
• Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis; Spain La Liga) - 90 minutes in 0-0 draw vs. Alaves (Feb. 18); 90 minutes in 1-0 loss vs. Dinamo Zagreb in UEFA Europa Conference League (Feb. 15)
• Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic; Scottish Premiership) - Injured, DNP in 1-1 draw vs. Kilmarnock (Feb. 17)
• Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven; Dutch Eredivisie) - 60 minutes in 2-0 win vs. Heracles (Feb. 16)
• Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo, Spain La Liga) - 90 minutes in 2-1 loss vs. Barcelona (Feb. 17)
• Ethan Horvath (Cardiff City; English Championship) - 90 minutes in 4-1 loss at Norwich City (Feb. 17)
• Kristoffer Lund (Palmero; Italy Serie B) - Not in 18, DNP in 3-0 win vs. Como (Feb. 17)
• Lennard Maloney (Heidenheim; Bundesliga) - 90 minutes in 2-1 loss vs. Bayer Leverkusen (Feb. 17)
• Weston McKennie (Juventus; Italy Serie A) - 90 minutes in 2-2 draw at Verona (Feb. 17)
• Mark McKenzie (Genk; Belgian Pro League) - 90 minutes in 3-1 win vs. RWDM (Feb. 17)
• Yunus Musah (A.C. Milan; Italy Serie A) - 7 minutes as a substitute, GOAL, ASSIST, in 4-2 loss at Monza (Feb. 18); 90 minutes in 3-0 win vs. Rennes in UEFA Europa League (Feb. 15)
• Erik Palmer-Brown (Panathinaikos; Greek Super League) - Injured, DNP in 2-2 draw vs. Lamia (Feb. 17); Injured, DNP in 1-0 win at PAOK in Greek Cup (Feb. 14)
• Kevin Paredes (Wolfsburg; Bundesliga) - 90 minutes in 1-1 draw vs. Borussia Dortmund (Feb. 17)
• Jordan Pefok (Borussia Mönchengladbach; Bundesliga) – 90 minutes in 2-0 loss at RB Leipzig (Feb. 17)
• Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven; Dutch Eredivisie) - 90 minutes in 2-0 win vs. Heracles (Feb. 16)
• Christian Pulisic (A.C. Milan; Italy Serie A) - 45 minutes as a substitute, GOAL, ASSIST, in 4-2 loss at Monza (Feb. 18); 81 minutes in 3-0 win vs. Rennes in UEFA Europa League (Feb. 15)
• Tim Ream (Fulham; English Premier League) - 76 minutes in 2-1 loss vs. Aston Villa (Feb. 17)
• Gio Reyna (Nottingham Forest; English Premier League) - In 18, DNP in 2-0 win vs. West Ham United (Feb. 17)
• Bryan Reynolds (Westerlo; Belgian Pro League) - 90 minutes in 2-1 win vs. Standard Liege (Feb. 17)
• Chris Richards (Crystal Palace; English Premier League) - At Everton (Monday, 3 p.m. ET): 90 minutes in 3-1 loss vs. Chelsea (Feb. 12)
• Antonee Robinson (Fulham; English Premier League) - 90 minutes, ASSIST, in 2-1 loss vs. Aston Villa (Feb. 17)
• Josh Sargent (Norwich City; Championship) - 70 minutes, TWO GOALS, in 4-1 win vs. Cardiff City (Feb. 17); 56 minutes, GOAL, in 2-2 draw vs. Watford (Feb. 13)
• Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach; Bundesliga) - 59 minutes in 2-0 loss at RB Leipzig (Feb. 17)
• Gaga Slonina (Eupen; Belgian Pro League) - 90 minutes in 2-0 loss vs. Gent (Feb. 18)
• Tanner Tessmann (Venezia; Italy Serie B) – 90 minutes in 2-2 draw vs. Modenia (Feb. 18)
• Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven; Dutch Eredivisie) - 60 minutes, ASSIST, in 2-0 win vs. Heracles (Feb. 16)
• Auston Trusty (Sheffield; English Premier League) - 59 minutes as a substitute in 5-0 loss vs. Brighton & Hove Albion (Feb. 18)
• Matt Turner (Nottingham Forest; English Premier League) - In 18, DNP in 2-0 win vs. West Ham United (Feb. 17)
• Brandon Vazquez (Monterrey; Liga MX) – 10 minutes as a substitute in 0-0 draw vs. Toluca (Feb. 18); 24 minutes as a substitute, GOAL, in 3-0 win vs. Comunicaciones in Concacaf Champions Cup (Feb. 15)
• Tim Weah (Juventus; Italy Serie A) - 8 minutes as a substitute in 2-2 draw at Verona (Feb. 17)
• Haji Wright (Coventry City; English Championship) - 90 minutes in 1-0 win at Stoke City (Feb. 17); 28 minutes as a substitute in 2-2 draw at Plymouth Argyle (Feb. 14)
• Alejandro Zendejas (Club America; Liga MX) - 90 minutes in 2-1 loss at Pachuca (Feb. 17); 90 minutes, GOAL, in 2-0 win vs. Real Esteli in Concacaf Champions Cup (Feb. 14)